#1
Posted: 11/16/08 at 12:29am
After losing the White Christmas lotto this evening, I wandered over to TKTS at 7:15 to see if there was anything I was interested in seeing still up on the boards. To my surprise, Shrek was. So, I purchased a ticket, in the orchestra, for $67...which, kind of ridiculous/sad that a half price ticket is now $67, but whatever.
Anyway, I found the entire show to be a giant bore. It just sits there, and never once ever takes off. There's nothing particularly exciting or interesting about any of it. It's not horrible, it's just bland, bland, bland.
The direction was tepid, at best. Jason Moore doesn't seem to have any idea how to stage a large musical, because a high school drama student could have staged it more cleverly and creatively than this. The choreography, when it existed, was stolid.
There were a few pleasant melodies in the score, but nothing memorable. I didn't walk out of the show humming any songs, which for a show like this, the score should be memorable. It wasn't. Again, just bland. Not horrendous, but not very good. I thought the burping/farting number was rather crass, and not enjoyable in the least.
I had a lot of problems with the book, which had a lot of jokes that didn't land. I know they've made cuts this week, but it needs to be tightened even more. They need to work on trying to make Donkey less of a caricature, for starters. Also, Shrek needs to be given something to do in the first act besides walking around, watching the action.
The design, which I had really looked forward to, looked cheap. I was expecting to be wowed by the swamp scenes, but no such luck. Two dimensional trees don't cut it in the era of $120 tickets. The costumes were fine, but not particularly memorable. I do give credit to whomever designed their prosthetics, because Shrek's face looked great. The lighting was kind of bright...even the scenes that took place at night were awfully bright.
The cast is mostly game, but isn't given a lot to work with. The ensemble, which has talented performers like Jen Cody, Aymee Garcia, Chris Hoch, and the fantastic Haven Burton in it, don't get to do anything. Talk about a missed opportunity. I have not a clue why Tartaglia gets special billing- his part was no larger than the other fairy-tale characters.
Daniel Breaker does nothing to erase the memory of Eddie Murphy from the film. Sutton Foster is dull, lifeless, and appears to be phoning it in already. She was milquetoast. Her singing was good enough, but not at all special. How this woman is a "star" and gets to continue originating roles is beyond me. D'Arcy James is a great performer, and he sings very well, but he hasn't quite yet found any humanity in Shrek, partly because they don't seem to have written any in for him. He doesn't make much of an impression.
Chris Seiber fares the best, and basically steals the show. His numbers were the only ones that are really entertaining, and go anywhere. His comic timing is great, and he gets the biggest laughs of anyone.
Audience reaction seemed fairly muted. There was the obligatory standing o, but it was not at all enthusiastic.
All in all, this was a giant missed opportunity. I had a FAR better time at the infinitely more entertaining production of High School Musical over at Papermill this afternoon.
Anyway, I found the entire show to be a giant bore. It just sits there, and never once ever takes off. There's nothing particularly exciting or interesting about any of it. It's not horrible, it's just bland, bland, bland.
The direction was tepid, at best. Jason Moore doesn't seem to have any idea how to stage a large musical, because a high school drama student could have staged it more cleverly and creatively than this. The choreography, when it existed, was stolid.
There were a few pleasant melodies in the score, but nothing memorable. I didn't walk out of the show humming any songs, which for a show like this, the score should be memorable. It wasn't. Again, just bland. Not horrendous, but not very good. I thought the burping/farting number was rather crass, and not enjoyable in the least.
I had a lot of problems with the book, which had a lot of jokes that didn't land. I know they've made cuts this week, but it needs to be tightened even more. They need to work on trying to make Donkey less of a caricature, for starters. Also, Shrek needs to be given something to do in the first act besides walking around, watching the action.
The design, which I had really looked forward to, looked cheap. I was expecting to be wowed by the swamp scenes, but no such luck. Two dimensional trees don't cut it in the era of $120 tickets. The costumes were fine, but not particularly memorable. I do give credit to whomever designed their prosthetics, because Shrek's face looked great. The lighting was kind of bright...even the scenes that took place at night were awfully bright.
The cast is mostly game, but isn't given a lot to work with. The ensemble, which has talented performers like Jen Cody, Aymee Garcia, Chris Hoch, and the fantastic Haven Burton in it, don't get to do anything. Talk about a missed opportunity. I have not a clue why Tartaglia gets special billing- his part was no larger than the other fairy-tale characters.
Daniel Breaker does nothing to erase the memory of Eddie Murphy from the film. Sutton Foster is dull, lifeless, and appears to be phoning it in already. She was milquetoast. Her singing was good enough, but not at all special. How this woman is a "star" and gets to continue originating roles is beyond me. D'Arcy James is a great performer, and he sings very well, but he hasn't quite yet found any humanity in Shrek, partly because they don't seem to have written any in for him. He doesn't make much of an impression.
Chris Seiber fares the best, and basically steals the show. His numbers were the only ones that are really entertaining, and go anywhere. His comic timing is great, and he gets the biggest laughs of anyone.
Audience reaction seemed fairly muted. There was the obligatory standing o, but it was not at all enthusiastic.
All in all, this was a giant missed opportunity. I had a FAR better time at the infinitely more entertaining production of High School Musical over at Papermill this afternoon.
Updated On: 11/16/08 at 12:29 AM
